MLB.com's Carrie Muskat has been covering Major League Baseball since 1981 and is the author of "Banks to Sandberg to Grace: Five Decades of Love and Frustration with the Cubs." You can follow her on Twitter @CarrieMuskat. Here, she blogs about the Cubs.

1/2 Schierholtz the man in RF

The Cubs have been busy adding pitchers this offseason. What about the outfield? GM Jed Hoyer said Wednesday that they project free agent Nate Schierholtz, who signed prior to the holidays, to be a regular in right field.

“He’s certainly going to play a ton for us,” Hoyer said. “We feel he’s a guy who has been undervalued and a guy who, with more at-bats, can thrive. He’s played in the NL West and playing 100 games that are tough hitters ballparks.”

Last season, Schierholtz batted .257 for the Giants and Phillies with six home runs in 114 games. He began the year with San Francisco, and was dealt to Philadelphia on July 31 along with two Minor League players for Hunter Pence. He made a good impression in his Phillies debut, hitting a home run against the Nationals. His playing time was limited when he fractured his right big toe on Aug. 13.

In six seasons, he has a .270 batting average, 24 home runs, 75 doubles and 123 RBIs. The Phillies decided to non-tender Schierholtz, who made $1.3 million last season. He would’ve received a raise, which wouldn’t have made sense for the Phillies because Schierholtz was projected as the fifth outfielder.

— Carrie Muskat

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19 Comments

So we get another injured player. Broken right toe? Guess that’s better than Stewart’s wrist injury. BUT he doesn’t sound like a very powerhouse player. Tell me more about him please Mamma Mia. I always thought Sappelt was being groomed for right field.

Elite defensive player with possibly the best outfield arm in all of baseball. Good speed, though not much of a base stealer. Incredibly streaky hitter, average contact hitter with below average patience and on base ability, good power that is reflected more in his doubles and triples than HRs. Basically he’s a league average hitter which would make him a poor choice to start in a corner outfield spot where you’d normally want more offensive contribution, if not for his stellar defensive ability. Probably very similar to what you’re used to in RF with DeJesus, though Schierholtz doesn’t get on base nearly as often but probably has a bit more power and slightly better defense.

Seems to me that all are of the same opinion I expressed when this middle of the road outfielder was signed to be a regular….WHY? We already have an offensivley challenged, underperforming regular in DeJesus, a defensivley and instincively challenged outfielder in Soriano and NOW we have yet another offensively challenged outfielder in Schierholtz??? THIS GUY is what us Cubs fans are expected to hang our hats on and except as AN IMPROVEMENT? I am really starting to wonder about Hoystein. If this is just a cheap, stop gap until Jackson proves himself, or a POWERHOUSE outfielder is signed….couldn’t they have accomplished this goal with the weak, in-house candidates Campana (at least HE WILL steal a base WHEN he gets on) or Sappelt???? C’mon Hoystein, one step forward and two steps back ain’t gonna GITTERDONE!!! (Still better than one step forward and five steps back ala Hendry, ha.).

So far it’s sign anyone who’s played in the majors & hope they miraculously over – achhieve into superstardom, plus a bunch of pitchers who’ve all had their arms cut in two with the assumption the surgeon implanted them with bionic devices not known to mortal man. = SOUNDS LIKE HOYER/EPSTEIN HAVE WATCHED TOO MANY EPISODES OF THE “SIX-MILLION-DOLLAR MAN”, “THE NATURAL”, &* “SUPERMAN”. (This is reality, not “fantasy-baseball”)

would you rather do what Hendry did and give out all those bad contracts. If they aren’t contending in 2 years then criticize all you want. I think this should have been done a long time ago. I am 62 and have been a fan since the late 50’s. If you think this is bad, thank goodness you didn’t see them than. I remember going to games with 3-5,000 fans. They didn’t even open the upper deck for most games.Hopefully the core of young guys will be ready and really be big league players. I can wait a couple more years, don’t have any other choice. Anyway, have a great day and good luck on the golf course.

To Joel Edmonson…not sure who you meant to reply to? Me? Or Wendell? I’m pretty much in agreement with you that Hendry by far did a much worse job and handed out much worse contract which ultimatley lead to this predicament. I’m not the one giving up or wasting money on a golf course, however we all retain the right to criticize at any time of this “rebuilding” process and signing Schierholtz BEGS for criticism while signing Jackson does not.

I’m done with this team and mlb in general folks. The Boston beanie duo are clueless as to resurrecting the Chicago Cubs! Shelling out millions for 5th starters (Jackson) and bench outfielders (Shierholz)….these guys couldn’t make the JV squad of most junior college teams! But will play a ton in Chicago…ouch! That’s it! I can achieve maximum frustration on the golf course each week for a lot less money than paying to watch these clowns.

Too bad Wendell (You’re not TURK….are you?), times change, most things cost a ton of money but as long as we are not FORCED to spend our money toward some of these questionable contracts I am still ok with cheering on our Cubs, watching them on TV for little financial investment. When they win, I will be there watching. Most pro sports are now out of hand but try to see past the BS of the owners, greed, egos etc. and see OUR TEAM. ??? Good luck on the golf course though, I’ve wasted my share of dough there as well! :)

I HAVE BEEN A CUB FAN ALL MY LIFE .STARTED WATCH THEM WHEN I WAS FIVE YEAR OLD. I HAVE SAW IT ALL THE GOOD YEAR AS WELL AS THE BAD EVEN THOUGH THERE HAS BEEN MORE BAD THAN GOOD . I GO INTO EVERY SEASON HOPING THAT THEY WIN IT ALL.BUT TO PUT THEM DOWN BEFORE THEY PLAY A GAME .MAKE BELIEVE THAT SOME OF THESE CUB FAN ARE MORE HATER THAN LOVER .WE MUST GIVE THEM A CHANCE BEFORE WE PUT THEM DOWN

GOOD FOR YOU CLARENCE! IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE BEEN A GOOD AND FAITHFUL CUBS FAN FOR A LONG TIME. I LIKE YOUR POSITIVE ATTITUDE EVEN THROUGH YEARS OF LOSS AND YEARS OF WINS. YOU ARE RIGHT. TOO MANY FANS ARE BEING HATERS INSTEAD OF BACKING THEIR TEAM NO MATTER WHAT. I HOPE WE WILL ALL BE HAPPY IN 2013 AND THAT THE CUBS WILL HAVE A WINNING SEASON. HANG IN THERE CLARENCE.

I am a huge Cubs fan and hope they don’t settle with Nate for an everyday player. Justin Upton is key and very important for the Cubs, at least he should be. He is the only way we can contend, he gets over 100 runs a year.

I don’t believe that the Cubs will have him as a regular right fielder. Nate has played a full season before and has ever barely had over 40 runs in one year. If the Cubs want to contend with the lowest amount if runs scored the second year in a row, then Nate is your guy. I’d suggest giving up a couple prospects for Justin Upton and keep Nate as a “Reed Johnson” type guy. If not, Cubs will not contend for the division.

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